Metallic Winter
by ambigousAnonymity
Summary: It has been a month since Edward's death. Now he spends his time all alone in the mansion, sitting in front of an open attic widow, while the frost bites at his fingers and toes, not thinking. Until Peg comes up to the mansion,saving Edward again.
1. Chapter 1

It had been a month since Edward had "died". He was back living in the mansion, but he was lonely. Sure, he had lived alone for a while after the inventor died, but after living with the Boggs, he had become accustomed to company. So now he was lonely. He would spend hours looking out of the attic windows, watching the children that played in the street. Sometimes one of the ladies would walk by, with a dog, or another woman, or a child. But not often.

On sunny days, when the children were at school, and no one was in the street, pointing at the house where the monster had lived, he would go outside, and trim his topiaries, or create new ones. But he didn't create ice statues. They reminded him of that night with Kim, when she danced in the snow. He didn't want to think of her. He knew he would never see her again.

He spent the moth in solitude, wishing he could go back. But he knew he couldn't. Not after what happened.

After a while, Edward stopped eating. He would simply wake up, and place himself in front of the window, and stay there till darkness fell. And then he stopped going to bed. He would sit in his chair, in front of the open attic window, drifting in and out of reality, and shivering, drawing his legs close to his body for warmth.

He would have stayed in that position forever, not eating, and freezing, but a visitor came.

Peg was worried about the young man she had come to think of as a son. He was all alone in the large house. There was no one to care for him, or to keep him company.

She had decided to drop in, to make sure he was alright. She was just in time. It had been three days since he had last eaten, and he had been sitting in front of the open window for two.

He was asleep when she got there, and she let herself in. She searched the house, looking all over for Edward, before she found him.

His skin was paler then she had ever seen it, so pale that his scars stood out more then ever, pale enough to reveal how blue, and cold his lips were. He was cold, and when she touched his skin, lightly coated with snowflakes, she shuddered.

Peg knew he couldn't stay in front of that window. She had to move him somewhere warm. If she didn't, she knew he would freeze. She pulled his chair away from the window, grateful for the exercise classes she had once taken, before heading downwards to find him a bed, the nearest one possible. It didn't take her long, but she would still have to drag Edward down a flight of stairs, and she knew she wasn't strong enough. But she would have to try.

Surprisingly, she managed to get him downstairs, and into bed with in the space of a few minutes. She could have woken him up, but it seemed to her that he needed the sleep.

Peg spent the rest of the afternoon tidying the mansion. Having nothing better to do, Edward had kept the place relatively clean, but it still had needed work. The kitchen worked, but it was empty, devoid of anything other than Ramen noodles, and crackers. _He must be starving! The poor boy!_

Finally, she noticed it was getting late. It was almost 4:30. Kevin would be getting home, then Kim, and lastly, her husband. She still had to make dinner, and do the laundry.

She scribbled a note, telling him she had to go home, but that she was going to bring all of the blankets he wasn't using home and wash them. After dinner, she would return, with hot food, and the clean laundry.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

True to her word, Peg returned to the mansion that evening. The minute dinner was finished; she loaded her car with the freshly cleaned blankets, Gatorade, broth, and her first aid kit, before kissing Bill goodbye, and quietly explaining to him where she was going.

"He's ill, dear. I can't leave him all alone. I should be back with in an hour or two, depending. Now, just make sure Kim doesn't find out. She's just finally started getting over him, and I don't want her to fall in love with him, just for her to lose him again."

"Alright. But Kim's bound to find out sooner or later."

"Right now, I do hope it's later – never would be better. I don't want her to get hurt. Or him, for that matter. Well, good bye, dear."

Within a few minutes, she had arrived at her destination. She unloaded, leaving the food in the kitchen, and carting the sheets and kit upstairs.

Edward was still asleep, lying on the bed where Peg had left him. She sighed, and brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. His skin was _much_ warmer than it had been. Maybe a bit _too_ warm. But his lips were still a pale, gray blue. What worried her most, though, was the way he was breathing. With every breath, he gasped, as if it hurt him, and each breath caused him to choke, and cough. She frowned. He seemed to have gotten worse since she last saw him.

She left the sheets on the floor, and fetched her first aid kit, before sitting on the corner of his bed.

"Edward, dear, wake up," she said, gently shaking his shoulder. He murmured something back at her, before rolling over. "I know, you want to sleep, but I need you to wake up. I need to get your temperature, and you need to eat something." This time, she managed to get him up.

Edward looked up at Peg, eyes full of confusion.

"Why did you come back?" He whispered.

"Because I care."

"Does Kim know?" He coughed, and then winced.

"No. Not yet. Now open your mouth, dear. I need to get your temperature. Now, put this under your tongue, and close your mouth. Leave it there, and keep still, until I take it out."

After two minutes, Peg removed the thermometer, frowning at the temperature it displayed.

"You're lucky that you sat in front of that window for so long. It kept your fever down. Why were you sitting by that window?"

"I was looking for Kim."

"I'll tell her you miss her when I get home. But for now, let's focus on getting you well. Now, when was that last time you ate something, Edward."

"I…I don't remember."

"Poor dear. I brought some broth with me. I want you to drink it. Let me get it."

"Dad, where did Mom go?"

"Your mom went to help one of our neighbors. She'll be back soon. Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, I just wanted to ask her something. I just talk to her when she gets back."

"What did you want to ask her?"

"Oh. It's nothing."

"I know it's not nothing. You can tell me. Sit down." Bill patted the couch next to him.

"I just wanted to ask her if…if she knew that Edward was still alive." Kim mumbled, sitting down. Bill put his arm around his daughter.

"You miss him, don't you. She knows. That's where she is now."

"Why didn't she tell me?" She rested her head on her father's shoulder. "She knows how much I miss him." A solitary tear dripped down her face.

"She didn't want you to get hurt. She didn't know that you knew."

"Do you think I'll get to see him soon?"

"I do."

"Slowly – you'll make yourself sick." Peg pulled back the bowl of broth she had brought. "Now swallow." She could see her charge was rapidly falling back asleep. "Just one more bite. Then you can sleep. Swallow these." She gave him two white pills. "Yes – that's it – good. I'll be back tomorrow. Now, don't you worry. I'll stay here until you fall asleep."

"Will Kim come?" Coughing.

"I don't know. Now, quiet."

Peg sat down next to her husband.

"What happened while I was gone?"

"Nothing much. Kim was looking for you earlier."

'What did she want?"

"She wanted to know if you knew that Edward was alive."

"So she knew."

"Yes."

"What did you tell her?"

"That you were over there, right now. She misses him."

"I know. He misses her, too. He made himself sick, because of that. I'll bring Kim with me tomorrow." Just then, Kim walked in.

"Hey mom. Why didn't you tell me where you where going?"

"I didn't know that you knew. I didn't want you to get hurt."

"That's what Dad told me."

"Edward was asking about you. He wants you to come with me tomorrow."

"Why were you over there tonight?"

"Because I went over to the mansion today, to check on him, and I found him frozen, in front of an open window. So I went back tonight. I can't leave him alone. There's no one there to care for him."

"I wish he still lived with us."

"I miss him too, Kim. But he can't live here anymore. Not with the scissors. He'll just get ambushed by the neighborhood, and the police. But we can still visit him. He'd love the company."

"I'm definitely going with you tomorrow."

"I knew you would want to come. It'll make him so happy."

Author's note.

I hate it when I have to nag people. But PLEASE REVIEW.So. How do you like it so far? I know, it needs some work.Ok. One, I got a lecture from my uncle today, about how this story is based off of Kafka, or something like that, and how I shouldn't be writing it. But He's a twelfth grade English teacher. So, ya know, who cares. Also, my friend Amber brought up a very good point. How does Edward masturbate? With a group? Or not at all. I'd go wit not at all. Anyhoo, tata for now.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Kim sat down next to Edward, and laid her hand on his face, massaging his temple with her thumb.

"He so hot," she murmured.

"I know, sweetheart. Now that he doesn't have the air from outside to cool him off, I can't seem to get his temperature down. It just keeps climbing." Peg sighed. "And he can't seem to keep anything down, either3. He's gone long enough with out food that his stomach doesn't know what to think. If he doesn't eat something, or if his fever continues to climb, we'll have to take him to a hospital."

"But everyone around here thinks he's a murderer. And if we took him to the hospital, they would put him in jail."

"We would have to take him out of the county, maybe to another city. Kim, hand me the first aid kit, dear." Peg rummaged around in her kit, coming up with the mercury thermometer. "Kim, go to the kitchen and find a small mixing bowl. Put some ice in the bowl, and fill it with cold water, then bring it up here."

"Ok." Kim left, trudging down the stairs. It was all her fault he was sick. She had known he was alive. If she had visited, or even walked by the house, he wouldn't have sat by the open window, day after day, waiting for her. She felt like crying. Edward was sick, and it was all her fault.

Kim found the bowl she was looking for, and filled it with ice water. She grabbed a clean cloth from the bathroom, and walked back up to the bedroom where Edward rested.

He was a sight to see, his face as white as the pillow case his head rested on, yet with different splotches of color across it. His lips were blue, and the rings around his eyes purple, yet his cheeks were mottled with pink from the fever that refused to drop. His normally styled hair was matted with perspiration, and his eyes flickered under their lids.

Peg pulled the thermometer out of Edward's mouth. 102°. That wasn't good. They needed to get him out of that leather suit he was wearing. It wasn't going to help them, if they wanted to combat the fever.

"Kim, I'm going home to get some of your father's clothes, this leather suit is to hot. While I'm gone, I want you to start unbuckling it. If you can't get it off, then used the scissors, and cut it."

Kim nodded. "Bye Mom, I love you."

"I love you too. I'll be right back."

Kim pulled the sheet off of Edward, and looked over his body. Every inch of him was _covered_ in buckles, and zippers. She decided to begin with the one around his neck, and work downwards.

After ten minutes, she had managed to get the leather off the first half of his body. She had had to cut the sleeves, so that his hands would fit through, but other then that, it had been easy. She unbuckled his boots, and pulled them off, wrinkling her nose at their smell.

As she continued working, she noticed that he had nothing on beneath his suit.4 After she unzipped the last zipper _down there_ (by this point she was beet red. Edward was still asleep, oblivious to the fact that he was being stripped.), she took his sheet, and draped it over his lap. He deserved _some _dignity, after all. Finally, she had removed the whole suit, covering him in only a thin sheet, in hope that he would cool down.

Kim took the hand towel out of the bowl of icy water, and wiped some of the sweat off of Edward's face, soothing his constant shivering. The cold water awakened him, and he resumed his shivering. Kim put the cloth back in the bowel, and rubbed Edward's cheek in her hand.

"Kim?" He whispered, coughing.

"I'm right here." She whispered back

"You came back." He shivered, and his teeth chattered audibly.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm cold. And it hurts to breathe. Why didn't you come back earlier?"

"I couldn't. Where?"

"Here." Edward gestured to his chest. Just, then, Peg came in, carrying a bundle of Bill's clothing.

"Oh! Hello, dear. It's nice to see you awake. You've slept the day away! Now. Let's get you cleaned up. Kim, start filling the bath with _luke warm_ water. Luke warm!" Peg sat down besides Edward, helping him sit up.5 "Here, dear. Put this on." She helped Edward into a large robe, fastening it around his waist. "Can you walk?"

"Mom, the bath is filling."

"Alright." And with that, a very embarrassed4 Kim, and an indifferent Peg carried a bewildered Edward to the tub.

After a very strange hour, Peg5, had bathed, and clothed Edward. How she had

managed to do this was simply beyond Kim, who had long gone passed red, and was now a lovely shade of purple, that clashed horribly with her hair, but went quite nicely with the rings around Edward's eyes, and his blue lips.

By then, it was noon, and the two women were hungry. Peg made sandwiches, and the two eat them, while Edward slept above, having fallen back asleep in the tub.

"He's worse then he was yesterday. When I last checked, he was at 102.3, and rising.6 Did you give him the Tylenol®?"

"No."

"Then do it after lunch. We'll give it to him with the soup.7"

4

5

3 I'm so sorry – I made a mistake in the last chapter, with the broth. He wasn't supposed to be able to keep any of it down, but I forgot to write that bit in. Since that just threw have of my plot down the drain, I had to repair it. That's why, suddenly, he can't eat.

4

 You just know she's enjoying every minute of this!

5

 Warning: major awkwardness is coming up! It's so awkward; I'm having trouble writing it!

4 I know how she feels! I (and I never blush!) can feel my face heating up as I write this! It's just so… awkward! Needless to say, you won't get any sex scenes from me!

5 Her name is really starting to bug me. I keep wanting to write something else, anything, just as long as it's not _Peg_.

6

6 It sounds like a radio station.

7

7 CLICHÉ!


	4. Chapter 4

I'm putting Mettalic Winter on hiatus for now. Lately, I've been slacking on my homework, and I need to get it done. Asides from that, every chapter is now a struggle, because I just don't care about it anymore. But I WILL finish it. That's the one thing I can promise you, but I don't know when. For now, though, I'll just be woorking on my songfic series. Kisses, Kirsty.


	5. Chapter 5

Kim ended up staying the night at the mansion, because Peg hadn't wanted to leave Edward on his own. She had fallen asleep on the bed, next to Edward, curled up in a ball and halfway falling off the bed, her sweater tossed over her shoulders and clutched tightly around her neck. Kim rolled over, trying to get closer to Edward, but she was instantly pushed away. Unconsciously, she tried again to get close to her love, and was poked in the side by one of his scissors. That woke her up, a she rolled over falling off the bed. Shakily, she stood up.

Edward was lying on the bed, his limbs jerking out of control. His scissors were flailing every direction, as his neck and back spasmed. Kim panicked. She dove for the cell phone her mother had left her, speed-dialing her home. After two rings, her father picked up blearily.

"Dad –It's me – Kim – Get Mom – Quick – something's wrong – he won't stop shaking"

This seemed to wake him up, because suddenly, he was all calm, and cool. "Woah, woah. Calm down. What happened?"

Kim took several deep, shuddery breaths. "I woke up, and Edward was just spasming. It scared me, so I called you."

"Ok. You stay where you are. I'll get your mom, and we'll be over there in a minute. In the mean time, I want you to call an ambulance, ok?"

"Alright."

Kim quickly hung up, and dialed nine-one-one.

"It's my boyfriend. He's been really sick lately, so I spent the night at his house. I woke up a couple of minute ago to find him spasming"

"Slow down. It sounds like your boyfriend had a seizure. He should be alright. But just to be sure, I'll send over an ambulance. What the address?"

"Peachtree…I'm not sure. Let me check."

Kim hurried out side to check the address."

"114, PeachTree Lane. It's the house at the very end of the street, the mansion. It's out of the neighbor hood, almost."

"Alright. They'll be there as soon as possible. In the mean time, don't move your boyfriend. If he wakes up, tell him to BE STILL."

Kim's parents arrived just after she hung up with the hospital.

"How is he?"

"Are you alright?"

"He's upstairs. He stopped shaking after I hung up with you. I'm fine asides, from the scratch in my side from wear he poked me. The ambulance is on their way. But we can't move him."

"Fine. Let's go upstairs. Your father can wait down here for the ambulance. We should be with Edward."

When they got upstairs, Edward was awake, and looking, well, shaken. Peg promptly began fussing, about him, and Kim just sat on the edge of the bed and took his hand.

"Are you alright, dear? You gave Kim quite the fright."

"What happened?" Edward murmured.

"We're not quite sure. The ambulance will be here any minute now, why don't you just go back to sleep?"

"Alright…"

He eyes closed just as the paramedics burst though the front door.

"Where is he?"

Kim's father jumped to his feet. "He's just this way, follow me."

"Oh, great, stairs…"

"Yep, seizure victim."

"Alight, we're going to take him down to the – woah." The paramedic had just caught sight of Edward's hands. "Something's going to have to be done about those – who's riding with him in the ambulance?"

"I am." Kim stood up.

"Let's go. You're parents can follow along in their car."


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, guys, heres the thing: I promise to finish this story before the end of this year. It's getting there, anyways. But I'm super busy, with homework, voice, babysitting, and Brain Brawl, and then I have a social life, too. But I _will_ fisnish this story – I swear it to you. I am sorry it took me so long to up date – I don't have it all written, but I know exactly what's going to happen. By the way, I'm supposed to be doing History homework as I write this, and my Creative Writing III teacher _really_ hates fanfiction, so it's not like I can write at school – don't believe me, ask Myrah on the MR boards – she's in my class, and when Mr. Moon found out she wrote fanfics – boy oh boy.

"How do you know the Patient?"

"He's my boyfriend."

"Does he have any family that could answer some questions for us?"

"No. He's lived alone ever since his father died."

"Is he over eighteen?"

"Yes, he is eighteen," Peg replied, knowing full well that unless he was, he would have to answer to a social worker – and that would simply make things more difficult than they already were."

"Does he have any insurance of any kind?"

"Not yet – we've been meaning to but him on ours, but we hadn't managed to before he got sick."

"How long has he been ill?"

"I don't know," Peg answered for her daughter. "We hadn't seen him in a while, and when I went to check on him, I found him by the window – it was open, and he looked like he had been there for some time."

"So how long have you _known _that he was sick?"

"About three days."

"Do you know how he got hands like his?"

"No, I don't. We only met him year ago, and his hand were like that then, too."

"Are you aware that at this point it would probably be best if we gave him prosthetic hands, after he recovers?"

"Yes. I'm sure he would prefer that."

"You are aware that this will be an expensive operation?"

"Everything medical is expensive," Peg shot back at the doctor.

The doctor smiles a bit there. "You have a point. I have trouble with the medical bills, too. Would you like to get him insurance? If you get it now, it will be ready by the time he is ready for the surgery."

"My husband is taking care of that as we speak."

"Edward has a severe case of bacterial pneumonia. We've x-rayed his lungs, and they are quite congested. (Sorry, got to inject my own two cents here. The pneumonia x-ray really, really sucks - believe me, I've had it. They make you take off all your jewlery, and stand in front of the camera, and of course, there's the waiting room, and the doctor's appoiontment you went to before it, and you feel so sick, and tired, and all you want to do is go home and go to sleep, but nooo, you've got to get those damn x-rays and...) He should be fine, though," The docotr had seen Kim's mouth opening, and aticipated her question. "We've got him on antibiotics, and with a nutrient drip - it seems he hasn't been eating, and that's our biggest problem - malnuorishement. It's made his body weak, so he's not reacting to the treatment as he should. But as son as we get that fever down, and get some food in him that he can hold down, we'll be able to fix his hands, and he can go home with you." The doctor frowned. But I wouldn't reccomend letting him live on his own anymore, at least not until he is fully recovered, and can take proper care of himself. Understood?"

"Understood. Can we see Edward now?"

"He should be sleeping, but I don't see why not. After all, you only want to _see _him." The doctor's eyes twinkled. "Just let him rest." - This was enough for Kim, who bolted off. "Oh, and one last thing - the police have told me that he was suspected of murder. From what I've seen and heard it was most likely an accident, but still, they will investigate."

"We understand."

"Tell me how I can help."

"Thank you for your offer."

Edward's hand were bound to the rails of the bed with soft cloths. The pajamas borrowed from Bill had been replaced with a hospital gown (Those things hsould be made illegal. How do they benifit medicine, anyways? If I were hospitalized, I would like to be in MY OWN CLOTHING, thank you very much.), and he had to I.V.s attached to him- one at his elbow, the other dripping nutrients through his nose. His mouth was cover in a breathing mask (I'm sorry, I don't know what they are called.). He looked so pitiful, lying there, blueish lips, bruised eyes, snow white skin, made paler by his dark, dark hair.

Kim sighed, and took his arm in hers, best she could, it being tied down, and stroked it lightly.

"I'm so sorry, Edward. I should have visited. I should have come back. I knew you were alive, but - I have no excuse. I'm so sorry. I've missed you so much, and I promise to never leave you alone like that again."

"I forgive you." Edward opened his eyes and mouthed the words as best he could.

"Hush - don't try to talk. You need your rest. When you have the mask off, then you can talk to me. For now, just...shake you head yes or no."

Edward nodded.

"Do you feel any better?"

A yes.

"You had a seizure - so we had to bring you to the hosptial. Your hand are bound because they were afraid you'd have another one, and hurt someone."

Edward noticed the lumps under Kim's tight shirt. His eyes widened.

"It's nothing. Don't worry, it was an accident. Anyways, they want to fix your hands. You'll be able to live a noramla life! but you won't be so...so... you won't be able to cut like you used to."

He smiled weakly at her, as if to say 'That dosn't matter, it'll be alright."

I saw the movie last weekend, and it was amazing. Ad of course, I had running commentary by Ellen, a friedn of some friends who had already seen - and loved - the movie. It's amazing, and I know more about it than ever, and than anyone but her. So yeah. I'll try to update soon, please reveiw, guys, it makes my happy in my panties! JK, but still. I love you guys, Kirsty - Korona. Yes, that is my real name. ANd the song "The Show Must Go On", by Queen, is amazing.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note

Can you believe I started this fic when I was fourteen? That was so long ago! I'm going back over and re-reading (it's been so long I've forgotten where I was going!) and I can't help but think that I have improved as a writer. But anyways! I am going to start updating again soon - as in within the next week or so. There was only one or two chapters left when I left off, so it should be simple enough. Much love to you all, who have stuck around over the years, and Happy Thanksgiving, to those of you who celebrate it!

Kirsten K


	8. Chapter 8

Everything was going well. Shit was happening. Then, all of a sudden, and for no apparent reason, a car bomb went off. No one really knows what a car bomb was doing in a nice hospital room, but fuck it. Because there totally was one and it exploded. BOOM.

And everyone died. Twice.

Moral of the story: I will never give this the proper ending.

GOOD WRITER, BEST ENDING.

3


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